Business & economy wrap-up from the day before
The declaration supporting the initiative has been signed by Cyprus and 20 other EU member states, including Greece.
The initiative was presented on Friday in Brussels on the sidelines of the Economic and Financial Affairs Council (ECOFIN) meeting by the European Investment Bank (EIB) Group, together with 21 EU member states, institutional investors and fund managers.
By signing the declaration, Cyprus reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening European innovation and expanding innovative companies’ access to growth capital.
The announcement was made on Friday by Panikos Hambas, president of the committee of the Pancyprian Cooperative Society for Participation and Promotion of Cooperativism Ltd, during the company’s first official gathering in Nicosia following the prospectus approval.
The public offering covers up to 42 million new shares, each with a nominal value of €1.00, with interested investors able to purchase shares through the Athlos Capital platform.
The minimum purchase requirement has been set at 100 shares.
The event attracted significant participation, with members of parliament, political party representatives, government officials, local authority representatives, trade union representatives, cooperative sector figures and business executives attending.
The company said the acquisition agreement was signed with the existing shareholders of P&S Carton Industries Ltd, with the transaction subject to regulatory approval from the Commission for the Protection of Competition.
The announcement was issued in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Cyprus Stock Exchange Listing and Disclosure Rules.
Lordos United, a Cyprus-registered public company listed on the Cyprus Stock Exchange, said the acquisition aligns with its long-term strategy of sustainable growth, operational excellence and shareholder value creation.
The company currently operates in the plastics manufacturing and packaging industry, while the acquisition will expand its activities into the corrugated cardboard packaging market.
Fitch said its decision to upgrade Greece’s operating environment score to ‘BBB’ from ‘BBB-‘ reflects improved business prospects for banks, resilient economic growth and favourable funding conditions.
The ratings agency explained that the stronger operating environment supported its recent upgrades of the National Bank of Greece and Eurobank to BBB with stable outlooks, while also underpinning the positive outlook assigned to Piraeus Bank, which remains rated BBB-.
The agency, however, cautioned that structural weaknesses persist, particularly the large stock of legacy distressed assets that remain outside the banking system and pockets of risk within retail banking.
The distinction places the bank among the leading financial institutions across the emerging markets of Europe, the Middle East and Africa, reflecting what the bank described as its strong performance and the confidence it continues to inspire among international investors.
The recognition is based on votes cast by the investment community itself, giving the award particular significance as it reflects the views of key market participants rather than an independent judging panel.
Alongside the group’s overall recognition, the Bank of Cyprus management team also recorded strong performances across individual categories, with several senior executives receiving high rankings.
This development follows the conclusion of the mandatory transitional period under the European Union regulation 2023/1114.
To support this shift, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has released a new public statement outlining the current regulatory landscape for digital assets.
ESMA reminded clients of unauthorised crypto-asset service providers, whether EU or non-EU entities, that they do not benefit from MiCA safeguards, including protections for client assets, the authority stated.
Clients who use services within the European Union are encouraged to verify whether their provider is authorised under the new framework by checking the official ESMA register.
Total imports of goods reached €5.99 billion between January and May 2026, compared with €5.55 billion during the same period in 2025, representing an increase of 8.0 per cent.
Exports of goods during the first five months of 2026 totalled €2.15bn, compared with €2.14bn in the corresponding period of 2025, marking a rise of 1.0 per cent.
As a result, Cyprus’ trade deficit expanded to €3.84bn in January-May 2026, compared with €3.42bn in the same period last year.
The annual awards, organised by Invest Cyprus in cooperation with GOLD magazine, recognise international investors and businesses that have made a significant contribution to the development of the Cypriot economy and were held in the presence of President Nikos Christodoulides.
Representing Eurobank, Senior General Manager Stephanos Kassianides presented one of the evening’s awards, underlining the group’s continued commitment to strengthening the country’s investment environment.
In an interview with GOLD magazine, Kassianides said the bank’s longstanding support for the Invest Cyprus International Investment Awards reflects its broader strategy of enhancing Cyprus’ attractiveness as an investment destination while promoting the country as a regional business and financial centre.
According to an announcement by the Directorate-General for Growth of the Finance Ministry, the meeting took place on July 9, 2026, at the directorate’s offices in Nicosia.
The meeting was chaired by Director-General of the Directorate-General for Growth Penelope Papavasileiou and attended by representatives of the Swiss Confederation and the Republic of Cyprus.
Participants reviewed the progress of projects being implemented under the bilateral agreements signed between the two countries in the fields of cohesion and migration.
The ministry explained that the Swiss Confederation signed a memorandum of understanding with the European Union on June 30, 2022, for the Second Swiss Contribution, under which Switzerland committed approximately CHF 1.3 billion to help reduce economic and social disparities within the EU and support measures related to migration.
The milestone follows the activation of the payment service in cooperation with NPCI International (NIPL), with Eurobank’s head of transaction banking Eleftherios Vlachogiannis outlining the bank’s broader strategy in an interview with the Athens News Agency.
The inaugural transaction took place in the presence of India’s Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, Eurobank chief executive officer Fokion Karavias and executives from NPCI International.
The initiative forms part of Eurobank’s strategic partnership with NPCI International and follows the opening of the bank’s representative office in Mumbai, making Eurobank the first Greek and Cypriot bank with a physical presence in India.
The bank has also sought to deepen economic ties between Europe and India through its participation in the India-Greece-Cyprus Business and Investment Council, the establishment of a technology centre in Pune and partnerships with major Indian organisations.
The ceremony at the Hilton Nicosia recognised Hartmann Group, Accor, Kraken, a Payward company, SayGames, Reconiq Software Ltd, a member of the Plath Group, Coral S.A. – Coral Cyprus and Premium Access Cyprus.
Addressing investors, Christodoulides said the country’s direction was built around “stability, perspective, development and security”, arguing that investment decisions ultimately depended on trust in a country’s institutions, people and long-term prospects.
That approach, he said, was also reflected in Cyprus’ renewed national promotion strategy, launched earlier this week, which presents the island as “a stable European state with a global orientation” and a European business hub with an international footprint.
The president pointed to the economy’s recent performance, including stronger growth, healthy public finances, lower public debt and Cyprus’ return to an “A” investment-grade rating for the first time since 2011. He also referred to conditions of full employment for the first time since 2008, describing these developments as evidence that responsible economic policy, political stability and reform could strengthen investor confidence.
A new study by the European Community Shipowners’ Associations (ECSA) estimates that shipping will contribute around €9 billion annually to EU and national revenues if carbon allowances average €100 per tonne. Under a lower-price scenario of €85, the sector’s contribution would still reach €7.65bn.
Of the €9bn total, about €7.7bn would reach national governments, while the remainder would be directed towards EU-level financing mechanisms, including the Innovation and Modernisation funds. At €85 per allowance, national revenues would fall to around €6.6bn.
However, the money is not distributed according to the size of each country’s merchant fleet, port activity or wider shipping industry. Instead, most national auction revenue is allocated through an EU distribution formula based largely on historical emissions from stationary industries.
The company said the move follows the approval of Resolution 15 at its Annual General Meeting on May 15, 2026, which amended the Articles of Association and paved the way for the transition to fully electronic dividend payments.
It explained that the final dividend for the 2025 financial year, which was paid on June 24, 2026, was the last dividend distributed by cheque.
The company stated that it will no longer issue dividend payments by cheque under any circumstances.
Shareholders who have not yet provided valid bank account details have been urged to do so as soon as possible to ensure they receive future dividend payments without delay.
The study found that respondents were exposed to such content an average of 4.45 times per month during the past year, while only 7 per cent reported seeing none.
Instagram was used by 95 per cent of respondents and accounted for 93 per cent of the gambling-related content viewed. Facebook and TikTok followed, with usage rates of 82 per cent and 68 per cent respectively.
The survey was conducted by University of Nicosia on behalf of the authority in February and March 2026, based on a nationwide sample of 1,000 people aged between 18 and 35.
Paid advertisements from betting companies and online casinos were the most common form of content, seen by 89 per cent of respondents, while 77 per cent had encountered posts by influencers promoting gambling.
The distribution of this dividend will be made to shareholders in proportion to their holdings as they appear in the register of members held by the company and the Central Securities Depository of the Cyprus Stock Exchange (CSE).
The record date for identifying eligible shareholders is July 22, 2026, the announcement mentioned.
This dividend equates to a payment of €0.019 on each fully paid-up ordinary share, it added.
The data showed that approximately 21,900 people were employed in Cyprus’ cultural sector, comprising 12,400 women and 9,500 men.
Across the European Union, the cultural sector employed 8.9 million people in 2025, equivalent to 4.3 per cent of total employment.
The figures indicate that Cyprus’ share of cultural employment was in line with the EU average, placing the country among a group of member states where the sector accounts for a significant proportion of the labour market.
Across the bloc, almost half of all people employed in culture, 48.5 per cent, were between the ages of 30 and 49, making this the largest age group within the sector.
The company confirmed that the meeting saw participation either in person or by proxy from members representing 120,200,720 listed ordinary shares and 85,165,000 non-listed shares, accounting for 100 per cent of the total issued share capital.
During the proceedings, the company formally adopted the auditor’s report and the separate financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2025.
Shareholders also approved the auditor’s report and the consolidated financial statements for the same period.
The island was included alongside Majorca, Rhodes, Gozo, Kefalonia, Corsica and Sardinia in a selection of seven destinations offering families experiences beyond large resorts and conventional beach holidays.
National Geographic placed particular emphasis on Paphos, describing the coastal city as a strong starting point for families looking to combine time by the sea with history and outdoor activities. From boat trips to hidden coves to visits to ancient Greek and Roman sites, the area offers several ways for younger visitors to explore the island’s past.
Among the main attractions highlighted were the UNESCO-listed Tombs of the Kings, where families can follow self-guided trails through underground chambers carved into the rock.
The Central Bank of Cyprus (CBC) on Friday issued an open invitation for tenders regarding the minting, packaging and delivery of gold and silver collector coins.
This procurement process, officially designated as Tender Number 12/2026, is now open to all interested economic operators.
The contract award criterion has been confirmed as the lowest price offered for the services.
The meeting is scheduled to take place at 11:00 am at the company offices in Larnaca.
One of the primary objectives of this session is for the board to examine the potential payment of an interim dividend for the year 2026.
This action, which aligns with the provisions of Article 49 of Law 4548/2018, has resulted in a reduction of the share capital by €6,181,344.18.
As a result of these changes, the share capital of Eurobank now stands at €792,751,032.04.
This capital is now divided into 3,603,413,782 common registered shares, each maintaining a nominal value of €0.22.
The bank also reported that the Ministry of Development issued a relevant decision on July 9, 2026, which approved the amendment of the bank’s governing articles.
This decision follows a thorough review of the annual financial report and the independent auditor findings for the fiscal year that ended on December 31, 2025.
The regulatory body confirmed that it reached this conclusion in accordance with paragraph 2.2.7 of the directive KDP 379/2014, as amended, following the elimination of the reasons that previously led to the imposition of the mark.
The invitation concerns the provision of execution and custody services relating to the fund’s investment portfolio, with interested institutions required to participate through a formal request for proposal (RFP) process.
Financial institutions wishing to take part have been invited to request the RFP documentation, which contains the technical and commercial information needed to prepare and submit a proposal.
According to the invitation, the documentation will include, among other material, a pricing template, an operational questionnaire, and details of the information that participating institutions will be required to provide.
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